Jesus said, “for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).

Spiritual Direction is coming together of two people in Jesus’ name and trusting that He is there with them. Spiritual direction is companionship given to an individual, which enables that individual to pay attention to the presence and action of God in his or her life and to respond and grow in intimacy with God. The individual is helped not so much to understand the relationship between him/herself and God, but to engage in it.

Listening is at the heart of spiritual direction, not only the director listening to the directee (the individual receiving spiritual direction) and the directee listening to the spiritual director, but the two of them together listening to the “still, small voice” of God.

Spiritual direction is not counseling, problem solving, or advice giving. What good spiritual direction does is help the directees place themselves before God who will reveal Himself to them and make them freer and more whole. The focus is on the Lord and the way He seems to relate to the directee and in helping the directee notice and respond to God with greater freedom.

St. Martha Parish is blessed to have lay people who are trained in spiritual direction.